The last four years have been productive ones for Japanese composer and pianist Akira Kosemura. During that relatively short period of time, he’s produced three full-length LPs (including the extraordinary In the Dark Woods) and a pair of soundtrack albums. The list of EPs and reworks projects he’s contributed to over the same period runs 14 titles long.
Diary 2016-2019 documents 17 artist-selected works from that productive period, presented in chronological order for the first time on CD.
It includes a number of television and film soundtrack compositions, for which Kosemura has gained international attention. The first four pieces come from Osaka-based Kansai TV’s production Konatsu and Hiyori. These gently paced chamber works are vintage AK.
Next comes a piece Kosemura composed for the closing scene of Mais vous êtes fous, a French film directed by Audrey Diwan. (The title translates as Losing It.) It will come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with the movie – the percussion-heavy piece is an unexpected treat.
“A Song From the Past” is a rich down-tempo electronic work produced with Dom Mino. It was originally released earlier this year as part of After the Rain – Schole Compilation Vol. 4. That’s followed by another non-classical piece: “Someday Reworked 2017 feat. Devendra Banhart.” Both tracks feature all of the sophistication we’ve come to expect from Kosemura. Banhart’s vocal deserves mention here to; it’s understated, but exceptional just the same.
The collection closes with a lovely pair of previously unavailable solo piano pieces: “Red Diary” and “Late Night Tales.”
At just 34, Kosemura has to be considered among the brightest lights emerging in new classical music. If you’re new to his work, start with one of these playlists he’s created for Spotify and Bandcamp.
The Moderns, vols. 1 and 2, by Kevin Press are available exclusively from Amazon.